Tone 42DS – Sohrab “Shouting at Dictators”

As you may know, Sohrab managed to leave Iran late last year for Germany, where he appealed for political asylum having been interned in Brandenburg. This appeal has failed and he is trying to raise funds to appeal against this latest ruling.

If he fails, it is probable that Sohrab will be flown back to Iran and arrested at Tehran Airport… Europe is reassessing its policy to ‘immigrants’ on a daily basis, partly because of the rise of the political right, but also because of the influx of refugees from the ‘Arab Spring’. The vast majority are being unceremoniously shipped back to their point of origin…

This release is a fund-raiser to help pay for a lawyer to help with his appeal against the ruling. 100% of Artist and Label money from this release will be donated directly to the appeal fund.

You can donate more if you wish simply by purchasing multiple copies of this release.
The protest was recorded in Tehran in the autumn of 2009.

On June 12, 2009 the Iranian presidential elections were held, and the results were strongly contested by the population. For the first time after the Islamic Revolution, Iranians expressed their dissent by organizing huge demonstrations against the regime. But the protest was not limited to demonstrations in public spaces; every night at 10 o’clock, citizens gathered on rooftops to continue their protests, chanting “Allah u Akbar” (“Allah is great”). At times, these chants would be interrupted by other, more indignant, chants of “Mag bar diktator” (“Death to the dictator”). During these protests, the dark Tehran nights were haunted by the ghost-like shadows and their eerie voices. Dreams, memories, emotions, and hopes roam around like ghosts on the rooftops of Teheran.

Reviews:

FACT (UK):

‘Faryad bar Dictator’ [‘Shouting at Dictators’] is a new download-only single from Sohrab, out now on Touch.

This is no ordinary release. We’ll let Touch explain why.

“As you may know, Sohrab managed to leave Iran late last year for Germany, where he appealed for political asylum having been interned in Brandenburg. This appeal has failed and he is trying to raise funds to appeal against this latest ruling.

“If he fails, it is probable that Sohrab will be flown back to Iran and arrested at Tehran Airport… Europe is reassessing its policy to ‘immigrants’ on a daily basis, partly because of the rise of the political right, but also because of the influx of refugees from the ‘Arab Spring’. The vast majority are being unceremoniously shipped back to their point of origin…

“This release is a fund-raiser to help pay for a lawyer to help with his appeal against the ruling. 100% of Artist and Label money from this release will be donated directly to the appeal fund. You can donate more if you wish simply by purchasing multiple copies of this release.”

The track’s title derives from the chant ‘Mag bar diktator’ (“Death to the dictator”), which could be heard from the rooftops of Tehran every night at 10 o’clock during the time of the 2009 Iranian presidential elections. [Kiran Sande]

Juniper Sunrise (blog):

Life is too short to live it in fear, and yet so many people are scared for their lives.
FACT Magazine is one of my favorite sources for music and various artists information, but I did not expect to find one of the most gripping sounds that I have ever heard via their website. It is the sound of protest against injustice, chaos, agony, and an enraged fury for freedom.

Recorded by Sohrab (who faces deportation after seeking political asylum in Germany), ‘Faryad bar Dictator’ [‘Shouting at Dictators’] is what you’ve always wanted to hear: something real, visceral. The protesting voices awoke a sadness within me that I did not know I possessed… an empathy beyond tears.

It is important for you to know that Sohrab is facing a serious sentence. A dangerous one. Please follow this link: Sohrab on Touch, http://www.touch33.net/sohrab/ , to understand his story.

And to jog your memory… Google “Tehran protests, 2009″

Mad Thanks to FACT Magazine and Touch for bringing this dark news in to the light.
*ahem*

While you’re digging deep for Japan & NZ, spare a thought – & a little cash – too for Sohrab. The hugely gifted sort-of ambienteer (whose A Hidden Place featured in LMYE’s 2010 Festive 50 & an important factor in naming Touch our pioneering label of the year) urgently needs representation for an asylum appeal.

His eerie fund-raiser, Shouting at Dictators (mastered by the great BJ Nilsen), is yours for £4. Laced with a lonely, disembodied/disenfranchised rage, the piece is made all the more plaintive by the thought of it as a soundtrack to his prospective deportation & ‘homecoming’…

tinymixtapes (USA):

Touch offering Sohrab fundraising single to prevent his impending arrest in Iran
Ambient music is always getting flak from casual listeners for its seeming distance, coldness, and apoliticism, but quite often the musicians involved come from backgrounds of deep political awareness and engagement, and for many, their surroundings are inextricable from their work. Sohrab — a recent signee to the venerable UK label Touch — is one such ambient musician, and he’s found himself in a very real situation that deserves the attention of anyone who appreciates the impact of music on culture.

At the start of the ongoing wave of protests in the Middle East and North Africa, Sohrab was able to leave his home in Tehran and seek political asylum in Germany. Unfortunately, due to the massive numbers of refugees flooding out of the areas of upheaval, Sohrab’s request was denied like many others, and if his subsequent appeal fails, it’s likely that he’ll be forced to return to Iran and face arrest at Tehran Airport.

To raise funds for Sohrab’s lawyer, Touch (who put out his debut album A Hidden Placelast year) is now offering a benefit download of a new nine-minute piece by Sohrab (and mastered by BJNilsen) called “Shouting at Dictators (Faryad bar Dictator)” that uses recordings of the protests in Iran following the dubious results of their presidential elections in June. Listen to a sample on this page to hear the beginnings of an incredibly affecting piece of sound; what The Wire said about A Hidden Place could apply here too: “context is everything and nothing.” The download costs £4 (~$6.50) with 100% of that money going to lawyer fees for Sohrab. Buy a copy for yourself and another for that friend who said ambient music is just gazing at your navel. [Squeo]

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